DRIVING UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS

NIGHT DRIVING

RAINY WEATHER

SNOW,SLEET,ICE

FOG

Reduced Visibility• Headlights must be used from dusk until

dawn or visibility is Less than 500 feet

• Rain- wipers on

Headlights on

Fog – low beamsBright beam use –

Open country

driving

Tips for Driving at Night• Stopping Disatance is increased because

your reaction time goes from .75 secs. To 1.5 secs.

• Increase following distance from 3 seconds to 4 seconds

• Pay closer attention to road signs and pavement markings

Driving at Night Rules• Use low beams as a general rule

• You may use HIGH BEAMS in OPEN COUNTRY DRIVING

• Dim HIGH BEAMs to LOW BEAMS when

• Approaching or overtaking another Vehicle

• At night slow down and Drive at a speed to be able to stop within the distance lighted by your headlights

FOLLOWING DISTANCE• Space cushion- Make sure you have sufficient

room on all sides. Don’t tailgate, drive in other blind spots or allow people to tailgate you

• If you are being tailgated slow down and move to the right and allow other car to pass

• 3 SECOND RULE• CHOOSE A FIXED OBJECT, WHEN CAR IN

FRONT PASSES IT START COUNTING

ROAD CONDITIONS AND FOLLOWING DISTANCE

• WET ROADS DOUBLE THEM• Snow covered road following distance should be 6

seconds

• FOLLOWING DISTANCE AT NIGHT • BE ABLE TO STOP WITHIN RANGE OF

HEADLIGHTS • 350’ LOW BEAMS 600’ HIGH BEAMS

STOPPING DISTANCE FACTORS

• REACTION TIME

• WEATHER CONDITIONS

• VEHICLE WEIGHT

• BRAKE CONDITIONS

• ROAD CONDITIONS

• TIRE CONDITIONS

• ABS BRAKES/ REGULAR BRAKES

PROPER BRAKING• DON’T PUMP ABS BRAKES

• MOST COMMON MISTAKE FOR NEW DRIVERS – THEY SLAM DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL

RAIN• WET ROADS - FIRST FEW MINUTES OF RAIN

ROADS BECOME VERY SLIPPERY DON’T HIT BRAKES

• HYDROPLANING- TIRES LOSING CONTACT WITH ROAD/ WATER+SPEED (35mph)

• Slow down drive on highest part of the road near center*

• Don’t TURN OR SPEED UP• MAINTAIN LANE POSITION LET UP ON GAS

PEDAL• TEST BRAKES AFTER DRIVING THROUGH A

PUDDLE*

SNOW• REMOVE ALL SNOW/ICE FROM CAR• ALL WINDOWS, ROOF,LIGHTS• DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE

• SKID STEER IN THE DIRECTION THE CAR IS SKIDDING

FOG• USE LOW BEAMS

• HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS- EYES BECOME TIRED

• How to avoid

• REST BEFORE TRIP

• Avoid looking at one thing for more than a few seconds

PARKING REGULATIONS

• INTERSECTION or CROSSWALK 25’

• STOP SIGN 50’

• FIRE HYDRANT 10’ either side

• FIRE HOUSE 20’ same side, 75’ opposite side of street

• Never park in a driveway or any parking space provided for the handicapped

WHEN YOU MUST STOP

• When a police officer tells you to do so• Stop sign• Red light, Flashing red• Yield sign When other cars or pedestrians are

present• School Bus 25’ either direction• Exceptions at a school pass at 10mph• On a highway with a median 10mph

Stopping continued

• Emergency vehicles, Police cars, Ambulances, fire trucks

• Pull over to the right curb and wait for them to pass, check your blind spot before pulling back out into traffic

• Before entering the road from a private driveway• Pedestrians in crosswalks• For blind people With walking cane and seeing

eye dog.

State Test Library (Weather)

• SKID – Take your foot off the gas pedal

• At 35 MPH wet roads may cause your tires to HYDROPLANE and you loose control of the car

• After driving through a deep puddle you should test your brakes

• To avoid a spin, while in a skid, turn in the same direction the vehicle is skidding

• Truck stopping distance in ADVERSE CONDITION is 25% longer

• Headlights must be used ½ hr. after sunset until ½ hr. before sunrise or if visibility is less than 500’

• At night be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead

• Snow covered road following distance should be 6 seconds or more

State Test

• Drive through a Deep Puddle Test Your Brakes• To avoid HYDROPLANING Slow down and drive on

the highest part of the road• 3 second plus rule is for maintaining proper (safe)

following distance. This gives the driver time to react to emergencies.

• If your car begins to skid take your foot off the gas pedal

• Road surfaces are most slippery during the first few minutes of a rainfall

• The best way to “talk to other drivers is to use your horn, lights and hand signals

State test• When entering a curve your car wants to keep going

straight.• Slow down before you enter the curve.